Question: Under the RRP Rule, can the required records and documentation be stored electronically rather than as paper copies?
Answer: Yes. The renovation firm is responsible for retaining and making available to EPA all records necessary to demonstrate compliance with the RRP Rule for a period of 3 years following completion of the renovation. The RRP Rule does not specify the format in which records must be kept.
Here at Train2Rebuild, we finally received the sample D-Lead test kits from Esca Tech Inc. the new boys in town for testing lead in homes built before 1978.
Previously, we had LeadCheck but it is not approved by EPA for testing on drywall and plaster.
D-Lead does have the EPA approval for testing on drywall, plaster and ferrous metal. And since D-Lead does not rely on a red color change, it will work on red, pink and black paint. As you may know, LeadCheck is not approved to test for lead on those colors.
My goal here is to use both D-Lead and LeadCheck to test for lead in the same area of an old, painted wooden door.
As you can see above, the D-Lead test kit comes with several components:
Plus, you get an instruction manual — which is mildly confusing — in English and Spanish.
The first instruction is to read all of the instructions. What a concept. And I reccomend you do read those instructions, paying special attention to the safety guidelines.
After reading all the instructions, I used the D-lead test on an exterior porch door in a home built in the 1940s. It is easy enough:
• Take a sample with the sampling tool
• Place in Test Bottle 1
• Shake for 10 seconds
• Add 5 drops from Solution Bottle 2
• Give it a shake for 10 more seconds.
According to the instructions the results should appear in 3-10 minutes.
Here is the test bottle after 10 minutes:
What do you think? If no lead is present, the solution will remain clear. If the level of lead is under the limit that requires RRP practices, the solution will be lighter in color than the color strip on the bottle. If the solution's color matches or exceeds the color strip, lead is definitely present. I found this color a little ambiguous. Is it less than the color strip? Or equal to it?
And here is a comparison with LeadCheck, used on the place where I carved out my sample for D-lead:
This is quite clear: the red means lead.
So you gotta ask yourself, which do you prefer? LeadCheck is easy and quick but does not work on drywall and plaster. And it does not work on red, pink and black paint.
D-Lead takes a little longer and the color change leaves a little to your color sensitivity. However, it does work on drywall, plaster and ferrous metals, as well as all colors of paint.
Plus, it is still not clear how available D-Lead will be in the coming weeks.
The good thing is there is competition in the lead testing market and that can only be good for certified renovators.
In the coming days, I will try this out on other surfaces and I'll show it to my next RRP class to get their opinion and get back with you on how it all shakes out. Stay tuned!
Dispatch from Bill Robinson at Train2Rebuild
Asbestos Air Monitor Conspired With Asbestos Removal Companies to Falsify Lab Results, Hiding Incomplete Asbestos Removal in Homes, Schools and Other Buildings
WASHINGTON – A federal jury in Utica, N.Y. has found Certified Environmental Services Inc. (CES); two of its managers, Nicole Copeland and Elisa Dunn; and one of its employees, Sandy Allen, guilty of conspiring to aid and abet Clean Air Act violations, commit mail fraud, and defraud the United States, the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. The defendants were also convicted of substantive Clean Air Act violations and mail fraud counts. CES and Elisa Dunn were also convicted of making false statements to federal law enforcement.
Due to the false lab reports, people that lived or worked in these buildings were exposed to asbestos, putting them at risk of developing cancer or other asbestos-related diseases.
As alleged in the indictment, CES (an asbestos air monitoring company and accredited laboratory), and several of its senior employees, together with Aapex Environmental and Paragon Environmental (asbestos removal companies, having already pled guilty) conspired over the course of nearly a decade to falsify lab results used to prove that asbestos removal was done properly.
In numerous instances, asbestos removal companies represented that homes, schools and other buildings were free of asbestos contamination when asbestos debris remained behind.
Owners of local homes and buildings were unaware that asbestos had been left behind from sloppy abatement work because air quality reports were falsified by CES and its supervisors and employees. Due to the false lab reports, people that lived or worked in these buildings were exposed to asbestos, putting them at risk of developing cancer or other asbestos-related diseases. EPA investigators have notified affected building owners of the asbestos problem so proper clean up can be conducted.
See the rest of the story at: www.justice.gov; Photo Source
Dispatched from Bill Robinson and Train2Rebuild.
I, for one, am in favor of increased protection from lead paint, so our company intends to fully comply with the rules.
— Mark Landry, Historic Restoration Contractor
Most people have probably heard by now about the new rules put into place by the EPA concerning lead paint and renovations. The goal of the rules is to increase awareness of the danger of lead paint and decrease the risk of harm to occupants of old homes where lead paint is present. The rules apply to projects that involve renovation or painting of houses built prior to 1978 (when lead paint was banned).
As a historic restoration contracting company here in Massachusetts, almost all of the buildings that we work on contain lead paint so we need to pay close attention to the requirements.
The rules, known as the RRP (Repair, Renovate, and Paint) guidelines have four main components. The first is notification. Contractors must notify their clients to the dangers of lead paint. This is done by giving them a copy of the EPA's Renovate Right booklet.
The second component is certification: any company working on buildings that contain lead paint must be certified. The EPA logo on our home page shows that we have completed this step. In addition, workers must receive training and be individually certified to carry out renovations involving lead paint. Our carpenters have received this training (as have I).
Read the whole article at: www.landmarkservices.com
In every EPA RRP-compliant project, part of the process involves keeping excellent records of what you tested and the results. This is called "protecting your assets."
D-Lead — one of the two testing kids approved by EPA for RRP jobs (along with LeadCheck), and the only one authorized for testing for lead on plaster, stucco, sheetrock/drywall — has provided a record keeping form.
The two pages of the form are below (click to enlarge), or you can download the two-page form in PDF from D-Lead.
More D-Lead downloads:
D-Lead® Paint Test Kit Product Literature
The cost for the supplies needed to comply with EPA's RRP Rule are not all that expensive. We're talking lead testing swabs for about 5 bucks, plastic sheeting, painter's tape, nitrile gloves, a respirator, protective coveralls, and things like that.
Your biggest expense will likely be a HEPA vacuum for cleaning up.
What could be more expensive than the stuff itself is the staff time needed to gather it all together. And that's why various retailers have done the work for you.
Protective Products has a special section populated with items needed for RRP-compliant jobs.
See the RRP products here and below:
| . |
SKU # |
Qty. | Description | Unit Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
NHV-02
|
HEPA Lead Vacuum 2 Gallon
|
$324.90
|
||
|
NHV-10
|
HEPA Lead Vacuum 10 Gallon
|
$489.90
|
||
|
NHV-CB6
|
Collection Bags (6pk) for NHV-02 & NHV-10
|
$12.90
|
||
|
NHV-DFB
|
Dacron Filter Bag for NHV-02 & NHV-10
|
$16.90
|
||
|
NHV-MIF6
|
Micro Impaction Filters (6pk) for NHV-02 & NHV-10
|
$16.90
|
||
|
NHV-HF
|
HEPA Filter for NHV-02 & NHV-10
|
$159.90
|
||
|
NHV-RBB
|
11" Rotary Beater Brush Carpet Tool w/Wand
|
$49.90
|
||
|
PC-5-1X
|
Non-Woven PP Coveralls with boots and hood 5 per package 1X
|
$10.90
|
||
|
PC-5-3X
|
Non-Woven PP Coveralls with boots and hood 5 per package 3X
|
$11.90
|
||
|
PC-5-5X
|
Non-Woven PP Coveralls with boots and hood 5 per package 5X
|
$12.90
|
||
|
R-N100-5
|
N100 Respirators 5 per package
|
$29.90
|
||
|
NG-50-M
|
Nitrile Gloves 50 pair M
|
$10.90
|
||
|
NG-50-L
|
Nitrile Gloves 50 pair L
|
$10.90
|
||
|
NG-50-1X
|
Nitrile Gloves 50 pair 1X
|
$10.90
|
||
|
WS-2-W
|
Coroplast Lead Work Area Warning Signs (2) White 12" x 18"
|
$18.90
|
||
|
WS-2-Y
|
Coroplast Lead Work Area Warning Signs (2) Yellow 12" x 18"
|
$18.90
|
||
|
BT-4-180
|
Blue Masking Tape 4" x 180'
|
$14.90
|
||
|
YT-4-90
|
Yellow Cloth Tape 4" x 90' x 9 mil
|
$9.90
|
||
|
LBT-300
|
Lead Hazard Barrier Tape 3" x 300' x 1.8 mil
|
$6.90
|
||
|
LW-90
|
Lead Safe TSP Wipes 90 wipes - 8" x 12"
|
$29.90
|
||
|
LCS-8
|
LeadCheck® Swabs - 8 Pack
|
$24.90
|
||
|
DL-PTK24
|
D-Lead Paint Test Kit
|
$58.90
|
||
|
LSV-BR1
|
Lead-Safe Training Video
|
$68.90
|
||
|
P6-11-50
|
Poly-Film 11' x 50' / 6 mil*
|
$31.90
|
||
| *Not shown on this page – go to the Poly-Film page for more sizes. 11’ width allows compliance with EPA and HUD Lead-Safe RRP rules. | ||||
Question: As a general contractor, we subcontract the entire renovation job to other companies rather than using our own employees. Under the Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule, does my firm need to have a certified renovator at the site?
Answer: Not necessarily. All firms performing renovations, including general contractors, must ensure that all individuals performing renovation activities on behalf of the firm are either certified renovators or have been trained by a certified renovator.
A firm acting as a general contractor may satisfy this requirement by hiring another certified firm that also takes responsibility for ensuring that all individuals performing the renovation activities are either certified renovators or have been trained by a certified renovator.
With respect to assigning a certified renovator who is responsible for any OJT and regularly directing other workers, a firm acting as a general contractor my satisfy this requirement by hiring another certified firm that in turn assigns a certified renovator to the job. However, this does not discharge the general contractor's liability to ensure compliance with the RRP Rule.
From the Kansas City Star:
Eight-month-old Oskar Ryan-Garrard did not eat paint chips. He didn’t swallow or suck on lead-laden toys either. He simply moved about his early 1900s Westport home and like any baby put his fingers and feet in his mouth. Then an optional blood draw showed a dangerously high level of lead.A risk assessor found lead-leaden dust on the windowsills of Oskar’s home and on the floor and porch where he plays. Oskar’s dad is a house painter, and lead was on his work clothes, too.
“It takes as little as a grain of salt to poison a kid,” said Shannon Steinbauer of the Kansas Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Prevention Program in Topeka.
And that grain of salt can find its way into any home: paint, residue from a parent’s occupation or hobby, everyday products.
See the whole story www.kansascity.com
There's no need to tear off the shutters and throw out the sash in the name of energy efficiency, say groups that are seeking to preserve the historic look of buildings.
With federal tax credits for installing energy-efficient windows set to end this year, vinyl replacement window installers are anticipating a rush of orders in the next few months. But the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance wants property owners there to reconsider abandoning their old wood-framed windows.
The group recently included historic windows statewide on its annual "Seven to Save" list, which typically features buildings or landmarks it considers threatened. Windows made the list because while they are among the most visible and defining features of historic buildings, property owners often are quick to replace them because of the growing emphasis on going "green" and energy efficiency, said Maggie Stier, the alliance's field service representative.
"We're not trying to save every window, but we want to make sure as many people as possible have the information to make good decisions," she said.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation hasn't included windows on its annual list of endangered sites, but it has promoted weatherization tips on its website. At least two other preservation groups, in Alabama and Philadelphia, have included windows on their lists, though John Gallery, director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia said he hasn't seen a great rush to replace windows.
Read the whole story at: www.nytimes.com
KANO, Nigeria — Lead poisoning has killed more than 400 children under the age of five as a result of contamination from illegal gold extraction in northern Nigeria, an international aid agency said on Tuesday.
The children died over the last six months in several villages in Zamfara state, where lead-rich run-off from illegal gold mining has entered the soil and water supply, said Medecines Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders - MSF).
"Based on the record of fatalities from lead poisoning, more than 400 children have died in the last six months," said El-Shafii Muhammad Ahmad, MSF project director in Zamfara.
"But we in MSF believe the figure is much more than that," he told AFP by telephone.
Preliminary findings by UN experts on the contamination in Zamfara state, which were released on Tuesday, said that "growing amounts of children are dying from lead poisoning."
Elisabeth Byrs, a spokeswoman for the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told AFP in Geneva that more than 3,000 children lived in seven affected villages in an area of high-intensity wildcat gold mining.
Byrs said many parents were afraid to come forward when their children fell ill, or mistook symptoms including convulsions with malaria.
Read the whole story www.google.com
From Popular Mechanics, the new EPA RRP Rule from four perspectives: contractor, regulator, consumer advocate and homeowner:
As of April 22, 2010, federal law requires that all U.S. contractors be certified to work with lead-based paint in homes, child-care facilities and schools built before 1978. Details of the new RRP (Renovation, Repair and Painting) rule appear in a brochure, “Renovate Right,” which contractors must give homeowners before work begins. The law requires certified renovators to be on-site to ensure that employees follow specific practices to prevent lead contamination. These include posting warning signs, taping up heavy plastic to contain the work area, minimizing dust by wet sanding, then cleaning with a HEPA vacuum and a wet mop. Certification takes 8 hours of training by an EPA- or state-accredited provider and costs from $200 to $400 per trainee. Not every employee of a remodeling firm needs to be certified, but the firm itself pays a $300 fee to obtain EPA certification. Contractors failing to comply could get hit with a civil penalty of up to $37,500 per incident, per day.
Contractor’s Perspective: “Even though it costs money, I actually think it’s a good idea,” electrical contractor and master plumber Pat Porzio says. “But of the 40 people in our training class, I was one of few who thought that.” Porzio estimates the law will add $500 to $1500 in labor costs, depending on the job’s size. The EPA estimates that the cost for containment, cleaning and verification will range up to $170 per job.
See all four perspectives at www.popularmechanics.com
As we all know, 90 percent of the damage in New Orleans after Category 3 Hurricane Katrina missed the city was caused by a manmade failure of the national levee system.
So please, let stop using what is known as "Katrina shorthand." It was not a natural disaster. It was a manmade disaster, or in the words of John Goodman's character in the HBO series Treme: "A federal f----up of epic proportions."
The same can be said about Haiti, as explained in the video below from the TED conference. The destruction from the earthquake was an engineering disaster.
In both cases, unless we rebuild differently, we are setting ourselves up for the next disaster. In my case, I'm here in New Orleans as one of the most vocal proponents for proper window installation, proper restoration of old wood windows, effective water-resistive exterior cladding, and the right kind of insulation for this hot and humid climate.
Assuming the Army Corps of Engineers gets the levees right this time (as so many other advanced countries have managed to do), and the city never floods again, what a shame it would be if the rebuilt houses failed from mold, rot and pests.
With climate change, our world will see more and more disasters, natural or otherwise. As they happen (and obviously an earthquake is not caused by climate change), let's rebuild right so the affected houses will last decades if not centuries to come.
It was back in the late 1980s when I decided that being gone from home for months at a time was incompatible with raising my three young daughters.
And so I gave up my lucrative (more than $100,000 a year back then) and adreneline-producing career as a deep-sea, oil-rig diver and got a job with a building contractor in Santa Barbara.
One day, when concrete for a basement had just been placed, the contractor wanted us to get done for the day and he sent me out on the concrete with knee boards and a steel trowel long before the mix was dry enough.
And that's how I came to be on my knees in the middle of a wet concrete floor with this thought: "I don't know what the f--- I'm doing."
I did not like the feeling I had. At all. I felt humiliated and belittled and just overall bad. REALLY BAD.
I wasn't used to that. I knew you could feel powerful at work. On my knees on that wet concrete, I recalled the job in the Gulf (of Mexico) when every single 170-foot dive I did was a home run. Every dive was so spectacularly successful that the Exxon company man started calling me Super Bill.
I recalled another time on a Swedish oil rig support boat anchored next to a North Sea oil platform when a storm was coming in and our anchor cable was stuck on one of the rigs legs and we couldn't get loose. The cable had to be cut for us to get away from the rig, which I knew was dangerous. But nobody else was doing anything and we had to run out the storm. I had the torch fired up and was just about to start the cut when the cable went slack and we were able to get out of there. The rush was unbelievable.
So here I was in the middle of a basement slab in Santa Barbara and I said, man, it doesn't have to be like this. How do you find out how to do this right? And that's when I realized there weren't many places to go learn how to do construction right.
That's what first got me going in the direction of training. My thought was that people working on jobs shouldn't have to feel the way I felt on that slab.
I thought: "Someone can do something about it and that someone will be me."
I don't ever want to forget how I felt that day and I don't want any other worker to feel that way.
If you have any training needs, let's talk it over. Send me an email or call me at (805) 797-4127 and I will throw in some diving stories as well.
I must say, I'm proud of the vibrancy of the peer-to-peer JLC Forums (that's Journal of Light Construction), and the part I play in them. I'm the moderator of the Exterior Details forum. Anyone can view the questions and answers, but only contractors can participate.
See some of the topics trending this week:
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lijupaul
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1 | 108 | |
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Danadsokc
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7 | 213 | |
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justinae
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4 | 186 | |
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cdservices
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5 | 158 | |
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fletchaustin
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0 | 48 | |
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Billmeister
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32 | 572 | |
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NEW Train2Rebuild DVD
On-the-Job Training: RRP Lead-Safe Practices
Timothy Adams – Timothy has a Master’s in Architecture from Tulane and has been working at Trappolin Architects prior to joining the program. He hopes that the knowledge he gains as a brick masonry apprentice will help to make him a better designer and builder. He believes that by preserving our historic structures, we enable future generations to understand what worked well in the past and set a foundation of living knowledge to build upon.
Mary Beth Alhart – Mary Beth comes to us from Rochester, NY. She is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology and has been working as a jewelry maker and artist. Through the Prince’s Rebuilding Communities Program, she believes she has found her calling as an artist able to assist in the rebirth of New Orleans. She joins the program as an iron work apprentice.
Michael Andrepont – After four years in the Air Force, Michael began building stages for Tulane’s theater department and performing with four different bands in New Orleans. He is inspired by Louisiana’s historic architecture and hopes to gain skills to properly renovate buildings in our city.
Wilbert Brass – Wilbert believes everyone should play a part in helping their cities grow to make way for future generations. He hopes to learn much more about his craft, mill-work, so that he may continue to grow in his career.
Kirk Brown – A life-long resident of New Orleans, Kirk joined the program so that he can become a Master Plasterer and pass his knowledge down to future generations.
Mallory Glueck – As an architecture student at Delgado, Mallory sees this opportunity as a chance to bridge the gap between what she’s learning in school and real world application. Mallory’s father owned a sheetrock company while she was growing up, giving her years of first-hand experience on construction sites. She sees New Orleans as a city with a rich cultural heritage that needs to be preserved for future generations.
Steve Grunewald – Steve came to our program from Rebuilding Together. As a volunteer, he came to New Orleans 2 ½ years ago and was hooked: he worked in the mill shop and as a construction manager with RT, gaining an appreciation for historic details in houses. As a millwork apprentice, Steve is looking forward to fabricating windows, doors and cabinets and milling flooring.
Vincent Mark – Vincent studied at Wayne State University and Wayne County Community College before joining the Louisiana Carpenter’s Union. After completing the Prince’s Rebuilding Communities Program, he hopes to one day start his own business.
Zina Mitchell – Zina has always wanted to be in the construction industry. She feels that preserving our building traditions is important because it helps us learn for the future. She has 13 grandchildren and hopes to be able to teach them more about the history of New Orleans through its architecture and culture.
Stevelend Nelson – Stevelend has experience working with wood, metals and stones. He recognizes the integrity of the craftsmanship in historic structures and believes that studying this is important in order to ensure that our buildings can withstand the test of time.
Elliot Pellebon – Elliot grew up in Holy Cross, blocks away from many of the work-built sites included in the Prince’s Rebuilding Communities Program. He is inspired by his father, who worked hard to rebuild their family home after Katrina and is eager to part of the rebuilding effort in New Orleans.
Henry Pittman – Henry is entering the program as a masonry apprentice. He hopes to learn more about both his city and his craft. He loves working as a brick mason and looks forward to giving back to his city with knowledge gained in the program.
Ishmael Raoof – Ishmael is interested in all types of architecture and believes that it is very important to preserve original details in historic homes. As a rough carpentry apprentice, he looks forward to increasing his skills and learning more about other crafts.
Christine Simpkin – Christine considers herself a very ‘hands-on’ person and hopes to become very familiar with historic building processes. She is also very excited to learn about the different styles of architecture found throughout New Orleans.
Chad Simpson – After graduating from Pratt in 2006 with a degree in Fine Art, Chad worked in Rochester, NY making jewelry and furniture. He came to the Gulf Coast this summer to help with the cleanup effort after the oil spill and felt inspired by the beauty produced by local artists and craftsman. He joins the program as a mill-work apprentice.
Sidney Trepagnier – Sidney joined the Prince’s Rebuilding Communities Program as an iron-work apprentice. He enjoys working with his hands and sees this program as an opportunity to do something different and find success in life.
This week I had the pleasure of teaching the RRP certification class to a group of apprentices who are learning traditional building crafts thanks to Prince Charles and The Prince's Foundation For the Built Environment.
As you can see, these young folks are having fun in the class, as young folks are wont to do. This program is being co-sponsored by the highly esteemed Preservation Resource Center in New Orleans.
You know, I could have fun doing this every day of the week. If you have any young or young-at-heart people who need RRP certification, please let me know.
NEW Train2Rebuild DVD
On-the-Job Training: RRP Lead-Safe Practices
We've all been waiting for D-Lead test kits to become available and now it's happening. The kits are important for EPA RRP work because they are recognized by EPA as a method for determining the absence or presence of lead in drywall and plaster.
The first test kit to be approved by EPA, LeadCheck, was not recognized by EPA for testing for drywall and plaster (though that will reportedly happen soon) and was pretty much limited to painted wood and ferrous metal surfaces.
NEW Train2Rebuild DVD
On-the-Job Training: RRP Lead-Safe Practices
But while D-Lead was formally recognized by EPA about a month ago (which will save Certified Renovators the trouble of having a third-party test for lead in drywall and plaster), the test kits were not widely available. That is changing.
Here is an update I got today from George Laidlaw, sales coordinator for ESCA Tech, the Milwaukee company that makes D-Lead:
The initial shipments of 6 test kits have been delivered to the Home Depot and are being distributed to individual stores at this time. Some stores have the kits available at this time and we expect the remainder of the stores to have stock in the next few days.
The first 24 test kits will ship to ESCA Tech, Inc. distributors the week of October 4. Many of our distributors are taking preorders for the 24 test kits at this time. A complete list of ESCA Tech distributors can be found at our website http://www.esca-tech.com/lptk/Distributors.php
Both kits are now in regular production and moving ahead we do not anticipate any backorders at this time.
See D-Lead test kit literature in PDF
___________________________________________________________
—— NEW DVD ——
BILL ROBINSON TRAINS
YOUR CREW IN RRP
LEAD-SAFE PRACTICES $79.00
As you know, LeadCheck swabs were the first swabs approved by the EPA for Certified Renovators to use in determining the presence or absence of lead on painted wood surfaces for RRP applications.
Another type of test, D-Lead, has been approved by the EPA but is not yet available.
So here's a quiz to check your LeadCheck savvy.
Make your best guess, then watch the short video below for the answer:
As you know, as an EPA RRP Certified Renovator, it's your job to train your crew in RRP lead-safe practices.
As an accredited EPA RRP trainer, I'd like to offer a few training tips:
1. First, conduct a training session to cover all the aspects of the lead-safe practices. My new DVD, of course, will come in handy for that. The first training could be an hour watching the DVD, followed by hands-on experience setting up an actual RRP job.
2. After that, during your regular morning tailgate training sessions, review one of the important aspects of set up, personal protective equipment and clean up.
3. Try having one individual describe best practices for one of those topics. The reason is that the best way to learn something is to teach it. They will learn it better, as well as teachng others.
4. Have someone point out a good work practice going on in the company currently, and then have someone else point out a work practice that could use improvement. When I've done this, the workers get very enthused and engaged. They take ownership.
Remember, while the Certified Renovator certificate must be renewed every five years, there is no expiration date on jobsite training. So it's important that you, the Certified Renovator, keep that up do date.
Question: I want to become a Certified Renovator. How do I find an EPA RRP class?
Answer: I have a few suggestions:
1. Do a Google search on: EPA RRP classes (your state). There's a bit of a cottage industry happening with firms and trainers offering classes, so all the information is not necessarily compiled all in one place. This will give you a wide-ranging set of options.
2. Check out the handy directory on the ZipWall website. You just enter your state and a list of providers comes up.
3. Go to the National Center for Healthy Housing and see the array of classes offered through them.
4. Send me an email and let's discuss some options. As an accredited RRP trainer, I've taught hundreds of contractors, business owners and others. I don't want to seem immodest, but I get rave reviews for my ability to make this somewhat dry information a lot more interesting. And when you hire me to provide your RRP training, you get an outrageous deal on my new DVD: On-the-Job Training: RRP Lead-Safe Practices.
The myths surrounding the EPA RRP rule are astounding. But once you take the training to become a Certified Renovator (and watch my DVD on training jobsite workers), you see pretty quickly how simple and basic the whole process can be.
According to the EPA, as reported on the ZipWall website, costs for containment, cleaning and cleaning verification range from $8 to $167 per job (with the exception of exterior jobs that require vertical containment).
When companies report that these costs will put them out of business, you have to wonder about the financial stability of such a company. And I'm not making light of that. These are tough times.
But most savvy contractors will add the extra $100 or so onto the bid and explain to homeowners the benefits of containing lead-poisoned dust within the house. It's actually a selling point.
Your biggest expenses from job to job (on older homes and certain other applications) will be:
lead-test swabs
plastic sheeting
painter's tape
nitrile gloves
protective coveralls
signs
caution tape
wet wipes
As you can see, none of this stuff is overly pricey.
Big-ticket items you'll use over and over again include:
N-100 respirators
a HEPA vacuum
If you want to use dust-creating power tools, you'll use those attached to a HEPA vacuum to collect the lead-tainted dust.
Here are some tips on keeping the costs down:
• Determine the amount of supplies you'll need for each job. Establish guidelines in advance.
• Have all your supplies on the jobsite before the job begins. As with any project, sending someone out to the store for forgotten items is highly unprofitable.
• Shop around for the best prices on plastic, coveralls, respirators and other items.
• Buy your lead test swabs in bulk and avoid heading to the big box store for a box of 8.
• Check out the offerings at Protective Products, which has a whole section on RRP supplies.
• Consider using a ZipWall system for efficient vertical containment.
Question: I hear so many rumors about the EPA's RRP Rule. Some say compliance will put me out of business. Some say compliance will cost thousands of dollars extra to replace one window. Where do I find out the facts?
Answer: That's a great question. Yes, you'll see a lot of rumors about the new lead-safe rule that are not based in fact. Your first line of defense against confusion will be to take an RRP class and become a Certified Renovator.
Of course, an 8-hour class cannot answer every single question or confusion that arises. To do your research, and not rely on third parties that may have motives other than educating you, I suggest you turn to the EPA's own Frequently Answered Questions.
This list of RRP FAQ was updated Aug. 23, 2010.
Here are some questions and answers from the list:
Question: I thought lead-based paint had been phased out. How many homes still contain lead-based paint?
Answer: HUD’s National Survey of lead and Allergens in Housing estimated that 38 million permanently occupied housing units (40% of all housing units) in the United States contain some lead-based paint that was applied before the residential use of lead-based paint was banned in 1978. “Housing units” include single-family homes, manufactured housing, and multi-unit dwellings like apartments. Vacant housing, group quarters (e.g., prisons, hospitals, and dormitories), hotels, motels, and other short-term housing, military bases, and housing where children are not permitted to live (e.g., housing designated exclusively for the elderly and those with zero-bedroom units) are not included in this number. More information on these statistics is available from HUD.
Question: When testing a work area, does one spot-test kit suffice for any single component? What if a component's surface area is extensive (i.e. a large wall)?
Answer: The certified renovator is only required to use one spot test kit for each component, even if the surface of the component is extensive (e.g., a large wall).
Got an RRP question for Bill? Click here
For Certified Renovators testing for lead, here is a helpful survey of online prices for 8-packs of LeadCheck testing swabs (as of Sept. 26, 2010):
Home Depot — $24.94
Lowes — $24.94
Amazon — $21.24 + $5.38 shipping
Protective Products — $24.90 + $7.95 shipping
Check4Lead.com — $18.95 + $8 shipping (approx.)
Lab Safety Supply — $26.70 + $11 shipping (approx.)
48-Pack
Lead Paint EPA Supply — $113.70 + $9 shipping
The Myth: LeadCheck is the only lead-testing kit approved by the EPA for RRP work.
The Truth: There are actually two kits approved by the EPA for RRP work, plus the kit developed by the State of Massachusetts. All must be used by Certified Renovators.
The two kits are made by LeadCheck and D-Lead. The latter works on stucco, drywall and plaster. But, the company is having hard time filling orders and says its product will be available retail this month or next, and in bigger contractor packs in October.
Q: Can I teach my crew how to do RRP lead-safe practices?
A: From Bill Robinson, an EPA Certified Renovator and EPA-accredited trainer (certified through NCHH):
Yes, you can train your own crew how to do RRP lead-safe practices but only if you are a Certified Renovator yourself and you provide hands-on practice. That means you have taken an 8-hour RRP certification class, done the hands-on activities, and passed the test.
Indeed, the firm or contractor must be a Certified Renovator in order for the company to work on homes built before 1978 and other applications, including day care centers. (See the RRP rule explained here)
For a fuller answer to this question, consider this direct quote from the EPA-HUD publication titled: "Lead Safety for Renovation, Repair, and Painting":
A Certified Renovator must provide lead-safe work practices training to non-certified workers so those workers can perform assigned tasks safely. This training can be provided by the Certified Renovator on-the-job or in the classroom, provided adequate hands-on practice is available. This training could also be conducted by a third party, although the instructor must be a Certified Renovator.
So you can either provide the training yourself or have a third party instructor do the training, provided they are a Certified Renovator and you provide some hands-on practice.
If you find that training your crew is too difficult or too time-consuming, I have produced a DVD RRP training program specifically designed for on-the-job workers that you can play to your crew, and then follow it up with hands-on practice. As I am both a Certified Renovator and an EPA-accredited (certified through the National Center for Healthy Homes), I am a qualified instructor for your crew.
Read more about the DVD training program for on-the-job workers
As anyone who has taken the 8-hour certification class to become an EPA RRP Certified Renovator knows, the material can be quite dry. Of course, I try to bring a little life into my classes. After all, I want my students to remain awake and aware and to pass the test at the end of the day. And as most of my students are contractors, and I enjoy being around other contractors, I generally am in a pretty good mood.
Still, I can't take credit for the fun these students had in one of my recent classes. This was an enormous class, about 35 students, and the largest allowed by the EPA RRP certification process. I had to hire four assistants to help with the hands-on portion of the class.
These young people work with AmeriCorps and will be traveling all around the country to supervise crews doing weatherization and other good works.
As you can see from this photo, the students were having a lot of fun. Now don't get me wrong. They were excellent and serious students. In fact, a number of them got perfect scores on the test at the end of the day. And it's not an easy test.
But as the hands-on portion of the class was wrapping up, some of the students who finished early wanted to get a portrait of themselves to remember the day.
So, here's proof. An RRP class doesn't have to boring!
If you have a group that needs RRP certification, give me a call at (805) 797-4127 and let's talk. Or, send an email to me at bill@train2build.com.
DVD UPDATED FOR 2012 BILL ROBINSON TRAINS YOUR CREW IN RRP LEAD-SAFE PRACTICES $79.99
